The invention relates to a method for transmitting data for use in a vehicle. The invention also relates to an apparatus for transmitting data for use in a vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer program and a computer program product for transmitting data for use in a vehicle.
The use of digital audio and/or video data, for example, in a vehicle is becoming more and more prevalent. If these data are transmitted using a mobile radio connection, costs are frequently incurred.
The object on which the invention is based is to provide a method and an apparatus which contribute to efficiently transmitting data.
This and other objects are achieved by a method for transmitting data for use in a vehicle, as well as a corresponding apparatus. According to the method, a user request for the transmission and reproduction of desired data from a first source by way of a mobile radio connection is taken as a basis for determining whether the desired data are also provided by a second source independently of a mobile radio connection. If the desired data are also provided by a second source independently of the mobile radio connection, the desired data are received in the vehicle from the second source for reproduction for a user.
A mobile radio connection is distinguished, in particular, by the fact that a 1:1 connection is established. In other words, something is requested via the mobile radio connection and is then transmitted in the other direction.
Transmission costs are often incurred in the case of a mobile radio connection, for example for each transmitted megabyte and/or as part of a volume-based tariff in which a predefined quantity of data can be transmitted for a predefined inclusive price. Since the second source is independent of the mobile radio connection and, in particular, is free of data costs, the desired data can possibly be transmitted cost-effectively and/or at no cost, in particular. Therefore, it is possible to achieve very cost-effective transmission of the desired data, for which mobile radio costs would otherwise be incurred. Furthermore, the desired data always have to be explicitly requested for the mobile radio connection. Since the second source is independent of the mobile radio connection, simpler and particularly efficient data transmission can therefore be achieved.
According to one advantageous configuration, the second source is a broadcast radio source and/or a WLAN access point.
The WLAN access point has, in particular, a connection to the Internet.
A broadcast radio connection to a broadcast radio source is distinguished, in particular, by virtue of the fact that it is a 1:n connection. In other words, a transmitter transmits the same data to a large number of receivers. In this case, there is often only a transmission from the transmitter to the receiver and no transmission from the receiver to the transmitter, that is to say no individual data can be explicitly requested by the receiver.
Broadcast radio is very often free or is associated only with relatively low costs, for example subscription fees. Therefore, this makes it possible to achieve very cost-effective data transmissions, in particular. Furthermore, particularly efficient data transmission is possible just using broadcast radio.
According to another advantageous configuration, the second source is a local data memory of the vehicle.
As a result, the desired data can be provided very quickly and in a cost-neutral manner if they are stored in the local data memory.
According to another advantageous configuration, a predefined user profile is taken as a basis for determining which future data will likely be requested by the user in the future. It is determined whether the future data are provided by a broadcast radio source as broadcast radio data. The broadcast radio data provided by the broadcast radio source are stored in the local data memory as stored data for future reproduction.
This increases a likelihood of the desired data being available in the local data memory in the form of stored data.
If the desired data are, for example, audio and/or video data, the predefined user profile is determined, in particular, on the basis of, for example, listening and/or viewing habits of the user, for example which genre, which artist and/or which type of music is/are frequently retrieved by the user. Alternatively or additionally, the desired data are, for example, data from data services, for example traffic data, additional data such as album covers and the like. The determination of whether the future data are provided by the broadcast radio source as broadcast radio data can be carried out, for example, on the basis of program information provided by the broadcast radio source, for example a so-called Electronic Program Guide. Electronically distributed information relating to a current radio and/or television program is referred to as an electronic program guide. The electronic program guide is generally broadcast by the broadcast radio source as an additional offer and can be received at no cost. Alternatively or additionally, this can also be determined by means of the mobile radio connection using Internet data which have, for example, an item of information relating to what is currently being played by which broadcast radio source. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to use the mobile radio connection to search databases belonging to the respective broadcast radio source and/or databases belonging to providers which analyze and catalog current playback content. Alternatively or additionally, the content can be identified with the aid of a frequency analysis of current broadcast content after comparison with a database. The frequency analysis is distinguished, for example, by virtue of the fact that the respective content is uniquely identified using data and/or frequency characteristics, for example.
According to another advantageous configuration, information representative of a popularity of data offered by the first source is retrieved from a database using the mobile radio connection. Retrieved information is taken as a basis for determining which future data will likely be requested by the user in future. It is determined whether the future data are provided by a broadcast radio source as broadcast radio data. The broadcast radio data provided by the broadcast radio source are stored in the local data memory as stored data for future reproduction.
This increases the likelihood of the desired data being available in the local data memory as stored data, in particular if a user profile is not yet available. Such information is, for example, information relating to top positions such as the most frequently requested, the best rated, the most popular and the like.
According to another advantageous configuration, the stored data are checked for interference. If the stored data have interference, the interference is removed by determining whether the stored data are again provided by the broadcast radio source as broadcast radio data. If the stored data are again provided by the broadcast radio source as broadcast radio data, the broadcast radio data provided by the broadcast radio source are again stored in the local data memory as stored data.
Data recorded using broadcast radio often have interference, for example extraneous content, speech of presenters, advertising played too early or before the end, traffic messages and/or reception interference. The quality of the stored data can be increased by virtue of the fact that the broadcast radio data are received and stored again.
According to another advantageous configuration, the stored data are checked for interference. If the stored data have interference, the interference is removed by correcting a part of the stored data which has interference using data which are requested from the first source for this purpose by way of the mobile radio connection and/or are received using the broadcast radio source.
The correction of locations which have interference using corrected data can be carried out using audio correlation, in particular. In this case, the stored data and the data requested from the first source for this purpose by way of the mobile radio connection and/or received by way of the broadcast radio source are decoded, for example, in order to obtain an information sequence, and a first decoder sequence of the stored data and a second decoder sequence of the requested and/or received data are produced in this case. The first and second decoder sequences are compared with one another on the basis of predefined criteria using a correlation device and that decoder sequence which is most similar to the corresponding original information sequence is respectively selected from the two respective first and second decoder sequences which correspond to one another in terms of time. An output sequence is formed from the successive selected decoder sequences and is then stored again, in coded form, as stored data. The correlation device includes, for example, a device for synchronizing decoder sequences, a data processor, a changeover device and/or a correction stage for correcting erroneous decoder sequences. This makes it possible to correct the interference in the stored data in a very simple and cost-effective manner.
According to another advantageous configuration, the desired data include audio and/or video data.
There are many free broadcast radio sources for audio and/or video data, in particular, with the result that the likelihood of the desired data being available at no cost is increased.
According to another aspect, the invention is distinguished by a computer program for transmitting data for use in a vehicle, the computer program being designed to carry out the method for transmitting data for use in a vehicle or an advantageous configuration of the method on a data processing apparatus.
According to another aspect, the invention is distinguished by a computer program product comprising executable program code, the program code carrying out the method for transmitting data for use in a vehicle or an advantageous configuration of the method during execution by a data processing apparatus.
The computer program product includes, in particular, a medium which can be read by the data processing apparatus and stores the program code.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Elements with the same design or function are identified with the same reference symbols throughout the figures.